There were Missouri fans (though many of them may now deny it) who believed Brad Smith should have been moved to tailback during his Tiger career. Dan Hawkins has taken the opposite approach in his first year at Colorado.

"They're playing a tailback at quarterback," Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel said of the Buffs.

That is not a comment intended disrespectfully. Starting quarterback Bernard Jackson really did play running back last season. In the Buffaloes' 41-12 win over the Tigers in Boulder, Jackson had five carries as a reserve running back. On the season, Jackson had eight carries for 10 yards.

"That's telling you immediately he can do things with his feet and he can definitely make plays," said middle linebacker Dedrick Harrington. "His athleticism is not one to discount."